Sports

Cheyenne South loses home opener 63-0

September 2, 2011

For the second week in a row, I was assigned to shoot the Cheyenne South football game. This week’s result was more or less the same result: a blowout loss to a much larger and more experienced team. Before tonight’s game – South’s first-ever home varsity football game – I was allowed in the locker room to photograph the coach’s pre-game speech. It was the first time I’ve ever photographed a pre-game speech inside a locker room, and it was a good one by coach Tracy Pugh. Sadly, the team wasn’t able to put any points on the board tonight.

Cheyenne Central defenders swarm Cheyenne South's Cody Dunn as he carries the ball during a Class 4A football game on Friday, Sept. 2, 2011, at Cheyenne South High School. Central won 63-0.

Cheyenne South's Zach Kinsolving (2) takes a moment to himself in the locker room before a Class 4A football game on Friday, Sept. 2, 2011, at Cheyenne South High School. Central won 63-0.

Wyoming media day portraits

September 2, 2011

About a month ago I did a series of portraits at the University of Wyoming’s football media day. The photos are for our Wyoming football tab that hit newsstands today. Shooting portraits at media day can be extremely hit or miss because the players are being pulled a hundred different ways to do interviews. Luckily, I had three friends who helped corral the players for me. I ended up setting up a little studio at one end of the stadium away from the action so I wouldn’t have random people walking into my backgrounds. I shot all the players using a three-light setup with no modifiers to give the football players a very harsh, tough look. This is something I’ve done this fall for all of the football portraits I’ve shot.

Wyoming runningback Alvester Alexander poses for a portrait during the University of Wyoming's media day on Saturday, Aug. 6, 2011, at Memorial Stadium in Laramie.

Wyoming defensive ends Gabe Knapton, left, and Josh Biezuns pose for a portrait during the University of Wyoming's media day on Saturday, Aug. 6, 2011, at Memorial Stadium in Laramie.

Cheyenne East vs. Cheyenne Central tennis

August 31, 2011

Last weekend I brushed off some football rust and today I brushed off some tennis rust. I haven’t shot tennis in a couple years. Luckily for me some clouds from an incoming storm provided great light and this player provided a quirky moment during the match when he went after a ball.

Cheyenne East's Trey Lowery returns a serve from Central's Sam Means, not pictured, during a tennis match on Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2011, at Cheyenne East.

USA Pro Cycling Challenge stage 6

August 29, 2011

On Sunday I drove down to Golden, Colo. to watch the final stage of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge. I got there early and hiked up the mountain with my cousin, two cameras, a 300 mm lens, a couple chairs and a cooler. We staked out a spot above on the of the switchbacks to watch the riders. I’m a fan of cycling after growing up watching Lance Armstrong. It was very cool to see some of the riders I recognized from the Tour de France as they spend by climbing Lookout Mountain. I was hoping the riders would be a bit more spread out as is the case with most of the mountain stages of the TdF. However, the riders were staying together in a peloton for the most part, making it difficult to identify and shoot the contenders as they sped by. I saw Frank Schleck at one point and had him in my viewfinder until a crazed fan ran in front of me.

American rider Frank Pipp from Bissell Pro Cycling grits his teeth as he climbs Lookout Mountain during stage 6 of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge on Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011, near Golden, Colo. Pipp finished the stage in fifth place.

Fans cheer on a rider as he breaks away from the peloton a few kilometers before the King of the Mountains line during stage 6 of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge on Sunday, Aug. 28, 2011, near Golden, Colo.

Cheyenne South loses 62-0 in first Class 4A game

August 27, 2011

Friday I drove up to Casper, Wyo. to shoot a game between Cheyenne’s South High School and Natrona County. South was making its debut in Class 4A, and Natrona County was coming off a Class 4A state title last season. As you can imagine, it wasn’t pretty. South is a relatively new high school, housing only grades nine through 11 at the moment. With no seniors, the South squad was physically outmatched by the much larger Natrona County players. Natrona County won 62-0 with a running clock in the second half.